Optical communication systems are systems in which optical signals are sent from a transmitter to a receiver via an optical fiber. Such systems may include a transmitter circuit, such as a transmitter (TX) photonic integrated circuit (PIC) having a transmitter component to provide a laser associated with multiple optical signals, a modulator configured to modulate the output of the laser, and a multiplexer to combine each of the modulated outputs. Such systems may also include a receiver circuit having a receiver (Rx) PIC and may be configured to receive the combined output and demultiplex the combined output into individual optical signals. Additionally, the receiver circuit may include receiver components to convert the optical signals into electrical signals, and output the data carried by those electrical signals.
Such a system may include one or more amplifiers located on the optical fiber between the transmitter and the receiver. The amplifier may be used to increase the amplitude and/or power level of a received optical signal, while maintaining the wavelength, bandwidth, polarization, and/or other phase characteristics associated with the optical signal. The amplifier may increase the amplitude and/or power of the received optical signal by using optical power from an optical pump associated with the amplifier. The optical pump may receive current from a controller and use the current to create the optical power that is used to increase the amplitude and/or power of the received optical signal.